Great advice here. The other thing (at least from UK perspective, not sure if this applies in North America) is leaving ivy to grow as insects really appreciate its flowers when there's not much else flowering.
Ivy (English Ivy as it's known here) is quite widely used as an ornamental but it is highly invasive with few if any natural controls. At least where I live with several feet of winter snow and temperatures below -20C there is no winter benefit for flying insects 😉
I have been preaching this for years, but following it gets complicated fast, at least here at Puddock Hill, where we manage wildlife meadows as well as the gardens around the house.
The challenge comes from the meadows, which are threatened by invasive plants like multiflora rose, porcelainberry, Canada thistle, mugwort, and oriental bittersweet, to name a few. We undertake many strategies (except use of herbicides) to set back these invaders, but it's a constant battle, and one necessary tool is brush hogging in late winter or early spring. This has to negatively impact the insects hiding in the goldenrod etc.
What to do? I welcome advice on how to fine tune our methods.
Why not cede control to Nature? We have seen the handiwork of homo sapiens when it comes to stewardship of our Earth. It is sorely lacking to say the least.
I rake the leaves into a tidy pile around the trees and bushes in my small urban garden. Less need to fuss around. Besides, I do not give two hoots what my neighbours and their pesticide-laden lawns think about my wild yard. Words of wisdom from my avian friends.
My yard has all manner of wildlife living here. All are welcome, and I will provide the sustenance.
Picture the kudzu you see in the South along the highways, overtopping trees, destroying everything in its path. This is what porcelainberry is now doing in the mid-Atlantic. Just letting it go is a recipe for ecological destruction. We screwed nature up. Now she needs our help.
I was referring only to private personal spaces like front and backyards. And I agree that we humans are responsibke for the mess, and what you point out cries for human intervention
Pretty much what we do ... Although you read about it happening, I confess I have not had abuse from neighbours but although quite a few say that they like what we have done by mostly leaving it to nature it is noticeable that very few put the mower away and try natural gardening for themselves.
Great advice here. The other thing (at least from UK perspective, not sure if this applies in North America) is leaving ivy to grow as insects really appreciate its flowers when there's not much else flowering.
Ivy (English Ivy as it's known here) is quite widely used as an ornamental but it is highly invasive with few if any natural controls. At least where I live with several feet of winter snow and temperatures below -20C there is no winter benefit for flying insects 😉
https://www.cmnmaps.ca/shim/atlases/invasivespecies/_private/englishivy.htm
I have been preaching this for years, but following it gets complicated fast, at least here at Puddock Hill, where we manage wildlife meadows as well as the gardens around the house.
The challenge comes from the meadows, which are threatened by invasive plants like multiflora rose, porcelainberry, Canada thistle, mugwort, and oriental bittersweet, to name a few. We undertake many strategies (except use of herbicides) to set back these invaders, but it's a constant battle, and one necessary tool is brush hogging in late winter or early spring. This has to negatively impact the insects hiding in the goldenrod etc.
What to do? I welcome advice on how to fine tune our methods.
Why not cede control to Nature? We have seen the handiwork of homo sapiens when it comes to stewardship of our Earth. It is sorely lacking to say the least.
I rake the leaves into a tidy pile around the trees and bushes in my small urban garden. Less need to fuss around. Besides, I do not give two hoots what my neighbours and their pesticide-laden lawns think about my wild yard. Words of wisdom from my avian friends.
My yard has all manner of wildlife living here. All are welcome, and I will provide the sustenance.
Picture the kudzu you see in the South along the highways, overtopping trees, destroying everything in its path. This is what porcelainberry is now doing in the mid-Atlantic. Just letting it go is a recipe for ecological destruction. We screwed nature up. Now she needs our help.
I was referring only to private personal spaces like front and backyards. And I agree that we humans are responsibke for the mess, and what you point out cries for human intervention
Pretty much what we do ... Although you read about it happening, I confess I have not had abuse from neighbours but although quite a few say that they like what we have done by mostly leaving it to nature it is noticeable that very few put the mower away and try natural gardening for themselves.
Timely and informative -- thank you!
Thanks! Am saving this for future reference.